Ehsaas

... a visual movement

Ehsaas means realization. It is a Hindustani word commonly used in Urdu language as well as in Hindi texts. Both languages claim ownership to the word and that is the beauty of the word "EHSAAS". It also means "Mahsus" in Urdu. The origins are probably Arabic. In the current context, this visual movement is to let the people realize that what you see today may not be available tomorrow. India is changing like the rest of the world. But the change in India is destroying the very culture of this ancient civilization. Indians inherited a rich "Virasat" or pedigree in terms of art, music, dress and cuisine. Today we are busy destroying our inheritance in the name of modernity and progress. Our monuments are in shambles and our traditional dresses are being replaced by ill-fitting western attire. Pavan and Rita Gupta have been travelling all over India since 2006, recording and capturing the images in places like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, West Bengal and Sikkim. Significant numbers of images have become rare since the ground realities have changed. Unauthorized and authorized constructions have either blocked the views and the spate of terrorism has forced the authorities to put up hideous looking obstacles in front of the monuments and artifacts. It is no more possible for photographers and artists to capture the images the way we did in the early part of the decade. People must have "Ehsaas" of this situation.